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Underground chambers
The underground chambers were a series of rooms below Hogwarts School. There were six known chambers found through a trapdoor in the third-floor corridor, that were used to defend the Philosopher's Stone from the summer of 1991 to June 1992. Each chamber had an obstacle that guarded and delayed a potential thief. History In the summer of 1991, Albus Dumbledore thought that Voldemort was going to try and get the Philosopher's Stone. He was given the Stone for safe-keeping from its owner, Nicolas Flamel and put it in Gringotts until he secured defences at Hogwarts School. He used the underground chambers that were found through a trapdoor in a section of the third-floor corridor. He employed staff to put an obstacle in each of the rooms. Rubeus Hagrid gave one for the section of the corridor (the doorway to the chambers): he loaned Fluffy to guard the trapdoor. Dumbledore locked the door using a spell that could only be unlocked using the Unlocking Charm. Voldemort and Professor Quirrell hatched a plan to take the Philosopher's Stone. They manipulated Hagrid into telling them how to get past Fluffy, and they enchanted a harp to put the dog to sleep. Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger worked out when he was going to try and get it, and tracked him through the corridor and each chamber. The chambers were said to be "miles under the school", and it was darker and colder. The trapdoor was said to look the size of a postage stamp from the first chamber. Chambers First room The first chamber had a Devil's Snare provided by Professor Sprout. The plant was designed to entrap and strangle the intruder, and it could be defeated by using Bluebell Flames. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley defeated the plant after Hermione had panicked, and Harry and Ron helped her find the solution of using the Bluebell Flames. They then went down a stone passageway to the next room. Second room The second chamber had a high, arching ceiling, and was well lighted. Professor Filius Flitwick provided 100s of winged keys, but only one of them opened the door to the next chamber. The room had broomsticks for those who wanted to get the key. The door was locked using an enchantment that even the Unlocking Charm could not undo. Harry, Ron and Hermione worked out it was the damaged key that had bright blue feathers, because Professor Quirrell had used it and crumpled the key's wings up, and using a broomstick, Harry caught it. Third room The third chamber had a huge stone chessboard. To get to the next room, a game of wizards' chess had to be won. The pieces were tall. Harry, Ron and Hermione took the black pieces of Bishop, knight and Rook. Ron led the game and eventually sacrificed the Knight to win, getting knocked out by the white Queen. Harry and Hermione then went to the next chamber. Fourth room The fourth chamber had a giant troll supplied by Professor Quirrell. He knocked the troll out when he passed through, and it had not woken up by the time Harry and Hermione got to the room, and they just passed through to the next chamber. Fifth room The door that led in, and the door that led out were blocked by two separate flames the second Harry and Hermione went in the room: a purple one (in) and a black one (out). The chamber had a table of nine potions and a logical riddle supplied by Professor Snape. They had to work out what potion would enable them to go through the next door, and what potion would enable them to go back to the previous room. Two of the potions were simply nettle wine and three were poisons. The smallest bottle enabled one to go through the black flame. The round bottle enabled one to go back. Harry went forward towards the Stone, and he told Hermione to go back and tell Dumbledore he needed help. The riddle was: Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, Two of us will help you, whichever you would find, One among us seven will let you move ahead, Another will transport the drinker back instead, Two among our number hold only nettle wine, Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line. Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore, To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four: First, however slyly the poison tries to hide You will always find some on nettle wine’s left side; Second, different are those who stand at either end, But if you would move onwards, neither is your friend; Third, as you see clearly, all are different size, Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides; Fourth, the second left and the second on the right Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight. Sixth room The final chamber was provided by Albus Dumbledore. In December of 1991, Dumbledore had put the Stone in the Mirror of Erised and then put the mirror in the chamber. The only way to get the Stone from the Mirror was if the viewer saw that they were in possession of the Stone, but did not want to use it. Then the mirror put it in their pocket. Harry was confronted by Professor Quirrell and finally found out the truth: Quirrell was the one who wanted to kill him, he and Voldemort had joined forces and Voldemort was possessing him to the point that Voldemort's head stuck out the back of Quirrell's head. The mirror gave Harry the Stone and Quirrell attempted to kill Harry but even touching him hurt. Harry passed out, Dumbledore arrived to save Harry and Voldemort abandoned Quirrell, who was killed in the process. Notes and sources Category:Locations in Hogwarts School